Snow Trip to Perisher and Thredbo

LYamete Kudasai on 11/05/2025 - 14:19

Hi Guys

My relatives invited my family of 4 to go to the snowy in end of June with paid accommodation, but just found out that there are other massive cost to cover other than accommodation. things like gear hire, ski tube, entry fee, tire chain, etc. any ideas on where to find best price (value) for all of these?

Gear Hire - any recommendation to find these in Sydney? i imagine that it will be much more expensive to hire them in there.
Ski Tube - is this necessary? we got Novotel booked for 1st night and Thredbo alpine hotel for day 2 and 3. is it hard to get there in End of Jun with a Tesla Model 3? is it cheaper to get there with ski tube as i heard that we have other fees just to get up there such as park entry fee, wheel chain fee etc?

Note: i search snow trip in here, but it seems all of the threads are years old.

Travel Perisher Thredbo

Comments

  • Stewardo on 11/05/2025 - 15:20
    +2

    It would depend on the weather.
    I’d chase info on an a more relevant forum.
    https://www.ski.com.au/xf/forums/thredbo.37/

  • try2bhelpful on 11/05/2025 - 16:20
    +3

    If you are looking at hiring skis and boots I would do that on mountain. Too bulky to carry and you can probably get adjustments if there are issues.

    If you are looking at clothing then look in the Op shops for second hand gear. Maybe ask around friends to see if they have stuff that can be borrowed.

    Food and drink is expensive on mountain so bring your own supplies with you as much as possible.

    Have a fun time.

  • slknv on 11/05/2025 - 16:40
    +3

    Check Aldi for their snow gear sale, great quality for low price, otherwise marketplace.
    But going end of june… depending on how crap this season is, you might get away with sandals and t shirts.
    Ski tube is if you want to park your car at the bottom and take the train in, it goes straight onto the slopes. Calculate the cost per person (it ain't cheap) vs renting wheel chains and driving in.

    • Yamete Kudasai on 11/05/2025 - 20:30

      thanks, will check out Aldi.

      this is the 1st time going to the snow, and not fully confident with putting on chains and driving on the icy road, that is why i was considering the ski tube, and yeah, it is expensive.

      • stirlo on 12/05/2025 - 07:25

        There's only a low chance you'll actually need to drive on snow. They clear it all away quite quickly and it generally melts off the warmer road surface (they salt it to speed the melting up). In the event you need to drive on snow there's not much to it. Your tires will still stick to the surface and you drive, if they tell you to put chains on you put them on (there'll be a bunch of other people figuring it out for the first time alongside you and there's always help). Using chains is actually rather rare. It's really not much different to the first time you drove on a gravel road or in the rain, you approach it cautiously and after a while you gain confidence and can drive as normal.

        • jellykingdom on 12/05/2025 - 09:22

          i'm pretty sure its a requirement to wear the chains in certain months, unless you have a 4wD. That's what was on the signs last time I went

          • ozbargainoid on 12/05/2025 - 10:04
            +1

            @jellykingdom: The requirement is to carry the chains…not put them on, unless the weather is bad.
            The requirement is only for the winter 'snow season'.
            It applies in the National Park area, and even if its a nice sunny winters day you must still have the chains carried in the car. A fine will occur if you are not carrying chains in your car regardless of the weather conditions.

  • SBOB on 11/05/2025 - 17:34
    +2

    Perisher and Thredbo

    Are you actually going to visit both or just one of these? They are two very seperate areas, with differing lift passes, on slope rental options, car parking etc etc.
    (Eg ski tube is only for perisher area not Thredbo)

    Rental gear often gets recommended to grab in Cooma, but in a model 3 and a family of 4, no way you're going to fit in all the gear (assuming you are ski/boarding) so just factor in renting from whatever location you're actually going to be staying/visiting.
    If it's just "snow play", aldi sale would be as cheap as renting gear.

  • battler on 11/05/2025 - 21:20
    +2

    Thredbo Alpine Hotel

    … therefore, forget Perisher, and the Ski Tube which goes to Perisher/BlueCow/Guthega. You cannot get to Thredbo by Ski Tube.

    Ski gear & chains: Boss Hire at the BP in Jindy. They also do clothing if you need it. You can see prices online. You will be hard pressed to beat their prices.
    If you do not hire in Thredbo then you need to consider how you will get all the rental gear, plus everything else already in your car, up the mountain. If you don't have ski racks or a roof pod, forget it.

    Kosciusko Park entry fee you will need to pay, no real discounts available.

    Tesla & chains: if it is a dual motor, then it is regarded as 4WD and you do not need to carry chains, but if snow is forecast, get them. If not dual motor, get chains at Boss and they show you how to fit them. Take a video of the guy showing you, and also watch the Youtube video on the Boss chains page.
    If you end up deciding on ski hire in Thredbo, remember that you need chains before you head up the hill.

    Bottom line: skiing is not cheap, particularly as a one off trip.

    • p1 ama on 11/05/2025 - 23:19
      +1

      Bottom line: skiing is not cheap, particularly as a one off trip.

      FWIW, as someone who's tried learning to ski, it's really not worth it at all unless you want to make it a regular thing and actually spend time on the slopes every year.

      For most people who just head to the snow for a few days in the winter, the time is just not enough to really learn properly - you just never end up learning, and inevitably spend a lot of time falling down.

      Controversial opinion, but I reckon a toboggan is more fun for people who just want to muck around, have some family fun, and spend a few days in the snow every few years.

      • stirlo on 12/05/2025 - 07:19
        +2

        It's like riding a bike, once you know how to ski you pick it up again within a few minutes.

        LOL at comparing tobogganing with skiing!!!

        • p1 ama on 12/05/2025 - 21:09

          It's like riding a bike, once you know how to ski you pick it up again within a few minutes.

          I don't disagree, just that in OP's specific case (never been to the snow, doesn't sound like they're spending much time there, no real interest in snow sports…etc.), spending that time learning to ski is probably not worth it.

          Even if you did pick up some basic skills, you're never going to get past green slopes until you put in some reasonable time investment. If you're not intending to do that, better to not incur the sunk costs, right?

          LOL at comparing tobogganing with skiing!!!

          They're both activities you do in the snow.

      • star-ggg on 12/05/2025 - 10:03

        I've done 2x weekend skii trips to Thredbo in my life and I can see how you need to invest a week on the slopes into acquiring all the basic skills that your body will never forget. Otherwise, it's just a very expensive very underwhelming activity every few years.

  • Karlotta - Margarita on 11/05/2025 - 22:01
    +1

    Ski Gear - Go to the Aldi sale coming up. If you are skiing for a full week, buy the pants and jackets otherwise, if it is only for three days, see if you can hire.
    WHat you should get from aldi are gloves and googles. THere are normally dirt cheap at aldi compared to on mountain.

    Helmets you can hire with your skis, boots and poles. I recommend you hire on the mountain if you can. Any problems and you take it back, get it swapped and off you go again. If you hire in Sydney and your boots hurt ….

    Ski tickets etc if you know your dates, book now to try and get an early discount. There is absolutely no last-minute specials when you put snow and Australia together.

    Ski tube is perished only, you will need to pay for the park fee and drive up. End of June usually has little snow so you can hire chains but you probably won't need them.

    If you need lessons, be prepared to take out a second mortgage but if you've never skiied before, take at least one intro lesson on the first day.

    As someone else said, skiing is not cheap, thats why most of us head overseas where the snow is usually more reliable.

  • p1 ama on 11/05/2025 - 23:16

    things like gear hire, ski tube, entry fee, tire chain, etc. any ideas on where to find best price (value) for all of these?

    How long exactly are you spending in the snow, and what are you intending to do there? For example, do you want to do some sightseeing, alpine hiking, snow sports (e.g. skiing, snowboarding…etc.), just walking around to see snow?

    Do you actually intend to do any skiing? If this is your first time going to the snow, I presume you have no existing skiing experience. Have you enrolled in a skiing course or any are you intending to learn? If you're only going to the snow for a few days, I wouldn't bother with trying to ski unless you actually want to get into it and go to the slopes every year. It takes time to learn and is only worth it if you want to actually ski.

    For other gear, it depends on how deep in the rabbit hole you want to go. If you are not skiing and you're just walking around the village to see snow, then just wear some thermal base layers, a fleece, and a puffer jacket. Snow gear is really just for snow sports. If you're never going to go back to the snow and just want to check it out, you don't need to buy anything. If it turns out that you're freezing on the mountain, you can always just hire a jacket.

    • kiitos on 12/05/2025 - 07:47

      This is a good consideration. Are your relatives regular skiers? If so, even if you learn to ski you probably won't be skiing with them all the time anyway as they may also want to go on more advanced runs.

  • Seaword on 12/05/2025 - 08:12
    +3

    Given the current weather, I would not be going end of June. Likely there will be little snow unless there is a massive change in the weather. In the next week, the lowest high is 11, miles away from the temps required to make snow.

    • try2bhelpful on 12/05/2025 - 10:49

      Could be a good thing. A chance to wander around the mountain without the crowds and all the ski gear.

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